A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass the necessary funding bills to finance government operations for the new fiscal year or a temporary funding measure. Without approved funding, many federal government agencies must cease non-essential functions and furlough non-essential employees until new funding legislation is approved. Essential services related to protecting life, property, and mandatory spending programs like Social Security continue to operate during a shutdown, but many government activities and services are temporarily suspended or reduced.
Shutdowns happen due to political disagreements over budget allocations and can lead to furloughs, delayed paychecks for federal workers, and disruption of government services. The government continues only key operations with staff deemed necessary for safety and constitutional processes, like military personnel, law enforcement, and air traffic controllers. Shutdowns have recurred periodically in U.S. history, with the most recent previously lasting 34 days in 2018-2019.
In summary, a government shutdown means a partial closure of government operations caused by a lack of approved funding, impacting many federal employees and services until lawmakers pass and the president signs new funding legislation.
